These men had worked in the prince's residence for years, handling many women for their masters—those with powerful backgrounds, the shrewish ones—none could withstand their fists. Never had they imagined that today, they would be humbled by the one who appeared the most delicate.
The leader, unwilling to accept defeat, spat and shouted, "Charge together! Even two fists can't beat four hands!"
A mere woman—he refused to believe she could turn the tables in their own territory!
Mingyi pressed her lips together, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
In the past, she wouldn't have feared these men, even if a dozen more came. But times had changed. She needed to focus to deal with them.
Lowly servants like these had no Essence Power, only crude strength honed through labor. Even so, in this narrow alley, they had the advantage. Confident, they roared and rushed at her.
Mingyi summoned the Nether Domain, shaping energy into form. Six glowing orbs floated lightly forward before crashing down with the force of a mountain.
The two servants at the front, caught off guard, were smashed into the bluish-white stone pavement, foaming at the mouth. But one reacted quickly, dodging her Essence Power and swinging a club straight at her.
Mingyi flicked her wrist, transforming her Essence Power into a Nine-Section Whip. With a horizontal strike, she snapped the club in two, then coiled the whip around the man's neck. After a brief hesitation, she loosened her grip, merely tossing him aside without taking his life.
Another quick-thinking servant flanked her from behind, aiming a knife-hand strike at her nape. Without turning, she kicked backward, sending him flying.
Her heavy, ornate skirt weighed her down. After just these few moves, sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down her temples with a faint trace of powder.
"No way?" she gasped, hastily pulling a compact mirror and fine powder from her waist pouch. Amid the groans of pain around her, she carefully touched up her makeup.
Someone nearby gasped.
Her spine stiffened. Mingyi tilted the mirror toward the sound.
Reflected in it was a young face, staring at her in shock.
Damn. She frowned.
Her Essence Power had truly weakened—she hadn’t even sensed someone nearby.
As if misfortune wasn’t enough, Shu Zhonglin’s laughter echoed from behind: "I told you the new one has an incredible figure. If you don’t believe me, have Xiuyuan take you to see her another day."
Footsteps drew closer. Just one more turn, and they’d spot her.
Mingyi tensed, glancing around. With no time to waste, she dashed to the stunned boy and dropped to her knees with a thud. "Thank you, young master, for saving me!"
The boy, no more than fourteen or fifteen, staggered back in shock. "M-Miss?"
"Young master, your bravery was unmatched just now. This humble girl is deeply grateful and will surely inform Lord Ji to reward you generously."
As Ji Bozhai rounded the corner with the others, he caught her words. The unease in his heart finally eased.
They said women adored the hero-saving-the-beauty trope, but his woman remained loyal—even when rescued, she invoked his name to avoid suspicion.
Some men couldn’t be faithful themselves, yet they adored women who were, especially those who couldn’t live without them. The more devoted, the better.
Mingyi understood this well. Pressing her forehead to the ground, she said earnestly, "This girl is already promised to Lord Ji. To avoid gossip, I must take my leave now."She rose to her feet, her skirt flaring at just the right angle, only to bump straight into Ji Bozhai. Feigning alarm, her expression quickly shifted to one of grievance and lingering fear as she eagerly approached him. "My lord!"
Ji Bozhai caught her and glanced at the fallen men on the ground. "What happened?"
"This humble servant doesn't know," she said, pinching her thigh to bring tears to her eyes. "A maid just told me the princess consort invited me to enjoy the opera in the backyard. I followed her here, only to encounter these ruffians. Fortunately, this young master came to my rescue."
With a delicate gesture, she weakly pointed at the men on the ground, then indicated the half-grown boy in the distance, her lips trembling with feigned fear.
The fallen men were stunned—was this the same woman who had just been punching and kicking her way through them? But their injuries were severe, leaving them no strength to speak up.
The boy who'd been named looked equally bewildered. This might have been the peak moment of his martial prowess in his entire life. Still, the pretty sister was winking at him for help, so why not play along?
He stepped forward and cupped his hands toward Ji Bozhai. "I am Situ Ling, merely passing by. No thanks are necessary."
Ji Bozhai studied him for a moment. "To possess such Essence Power at such a young age—your future is boundless."
This was the first person Ji Bozhai had ever praised so highly. Shu Zhonglin and the others couldn't help but scrutinize the boy carefully. But Ji Bozhai simply took Mingyi away after speaking, instructing Buxiu to handle the thanks.
"Are you hurt?" he asked coolly.
Mingyi leaned against him cautiously. "No, but my lord, what's wrong? You've seemed out of sorts since earlier."
The case had already been settled, only for her to overturn it with a few words—of course his mood had soured.
"I'm tired from drinking," he offered as a casual excuse.
Beside him, she nodded understandingly. "Then let this servant attend to you and see you back."
Under the moonlight, the beauty nestled against him, her faint orchid fragrance drifting over.
Ji Bozhai suddenly grew curious. "Why aren't you asking me to investigate who tried to harm you?"
Mingyi helped him down the steps without looking up. "Who else could it be but someone from the princess consort's household, moving freely without concealment in this manor? What status do I have compared to hers? It would only trouble you if I made a fuss."
She had heard the Dancing Girls in the inner court say that women's lives in noble households were cheaper than grass. A mere Dancing Girl could be smothered and tossed into a pond, dismissed as an accident, with no one bothering to investigate—and even if they did, it wouldn't matter.
Ji Bozhai raised an eyebrow. "You're quite accepting of this."
"This servant is here to serve, not to be served. How could I trouble you with such things?" Mingyi waved a hand. "As long as I'm alive, I won't cry for justice. You needn't worry, my lord."
It was a clever, diplomatic answer—easy to say and light on the tongue. Yet for some reason, Mingyi clearly sensed the man beside her brightening at her words.
She tensed, wondering silently—had she caused him trouble somewhere today?
Thinking back carefully, Mingyi suddenly gasped in fright.
"What, still hungry?" he teased.
She lowered her lashes and quickly replied in a coquettish tone, "It's just the lingering fear, my lord. Must you mock me?"
Ji Bozhai laughed and led her back to the banquet, holding her in his arms as before.
But as Mingyi stared at the braised pork knuckle before her, she found she had no appetite left.What had she said earlier? At the banquet in the inner courtyard, besides the Dancing Girl, the various lords could also have come into contact with the deceased—if she remembered correctly, both Wei Hongfei and Zou Wancheng had indeed stood up to offer toasts, and both had toasted the same person.
Her neck felt stiff, so she turned it slightly to the side.
Ji Bozhai, with his striking appearance and charming demeanor, reclined gracefully as he drank, drawing frequent glances from the women at the banquet.
Noticing her gaze, he turned his eyes toward her and asked gently, "What's the matter?"
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